The Taming Shrew
by Spingleburt
Summary: After an incident with Sain, Florina runs of crying, leaving the romancing fool unconscious. What happens next? Post game. SainXFlorina Rated due to drinking. Swansong now up.
1. Prelude

Okay I know this is really short and not written that well. The reason for the shortness is that is just a brief introduction. The reason for the poor quality of the writing is that it's my first fanfic and that I'm inexperienced. Please review as any advice on where I went wrong will be greatly accepted. Flamers, be warned you will be humiliated later on. Oh by the way the title is likely to change on account of it being rubbish.

Disclaimer: I don't own Fire Emblem or any of its characters.

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Almost two years have passed since the defeat of Nergal and the slaying of the Dragon. Everyone who fought Nergal are heading towards Ostia to commemorate their victory. A few weeks are left until the anniversary and a few members of the company have arrived already.

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His eyes widened. The perpetual smile he wore slid of his face to be replaced by a look of utmost surprise. He saw Florina running out of the Grand Hall as he fell to the floor. "St Elimine why does this always happen to me?" Sain muttered, just before he lost consciousness.

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As she ran through the darkened streets of Ostia her tears poured forth unhindered. She stopped by a fountain to let her nerves steady themselves again. She cupped her hands into the fountain and washed the tears away from her face, taking solace in the biting cold of the water. As she watched her reflection in the fountain the puffiness caused by her tears began fade. She sat down on its edge enjoying the cold breeze that reminded her of Ilia.

As she sat her thoughts centred on her irrational fear of men. She knew that Sain had meant her no harm, that was obvious now. That was the problem she mused, hindsight only happened after she had already run away. However that didn't change the fact that she always panicked around men.

Elimine knew she didn't want to spend the rest of her life alone. Or thinking about it being cooed over by Fiora and Lyn. They had their own lives to live with their husbands. Lyn with Hector and Fiora with Kent, not with her.

As these thoughts ran through head part of her mind grew angry. "You stupid girl!" the voice shouted in her head. "You helped to saved the world. You fought the Black Fang and Nergal's morphs!" The voice reminded her of someone, but she couldn't quite put her finger on it. "You and you alone were the one who nailed Nergal's head to the floor of the Dragon's Gate with your lance! Yet despite all that you can't even have a civilized conversation with an idiotic little MAN!"

The voice inside her head was screaming at her now. She wanted, no needed to drown it out in order to preserve her sanity. Deciding the easiest way to do this was by drinking, the Pegasus knight looked around for the nearest bar. Her eyes settled on a sign declaring to one and all that below it lay the entrance to "Charlie's Bar".

As she started towards the door something occurred to her. "Ooh I hope there aren't to many men in there." At this the voice inside her head started another hysterical rant. She suddenly realised that the voice sounded like Farina's. "Oh flux!" she muttered to herself, blushing while she did so, "I really need a drink." With that she hurried into "Charlie's" without a second thought.


	2. Sain's awakening

Behold part of the confusing mess that is the Prelude is explained but only a small part. I finished this chapter while bored at 3am. Anyway enjoy.

I don't own Fire Emblem or any of the characters.

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Chapter 2: Sain's Awakening 

As he woke up the memory hit him and Sain wished that he hadn't. The offending area ached reminding him of his stupidity. "Ergh," he groaned. When he opened his eyes they were greeted with the sight of Kent, Fiora and Lyn standing around the bed he found himself wearing concerned expressions.

"Thank Elimine, he's awake," Kent exclaimed, looking quite relieved. At that moment Farina ran into the room, probably to watch him suffer Sain decided.

"Well how could I sleep with so many lovely ladies in same room as me?" Sain replied jokingly to his red haired friend. Kent just sighed and shook his head at his friends irrepressible nature.

Lyn was the one who voiced the question that they'd all been wondering. "Sain what happened to you? Matthew found you unconscious in the Grand Hall." They all looked at him expectantly.

Sain sighed, at the embarrassing memory. He supposed he would have to tell someone eventually, it might as well be them. "I er, I had a run in with…" he paused bracing himself against the reprimands he would undoubtedly receive. It stung him that he was always blamed. True it was usually his fault, but he couldn't help it…

"Go on," Fiora's prompting cut off his train of thought.

"What?" Sain asked blinking in confusion.

"You were about to tell us who you had a run in with!" Lyn seethed clearly loosing her temper with the hapless cavalier. "Who was it?"

Sain sighed dejectedly, bracing himself again for when Lyn misunderstood the events and exploded at him. "Florina," he said meekly.

At this Lyn's anger did explode as he had predicted. "What did you do to Florina you know she's afraid of men if you tried to kiss her again I'll!" As all this came out in one quick stream, Lyn had leapt onto the bed Sain was in and hit him, before being restrained by Kent and Farina.

As Lyn was placed in a seat brooding about how Sain must have mistreated her best friend yet again, Sain rubbed his jaw wearing his usual smile. That just made her glower at him even more.

"That went better than I expected," Sain thought to himself. "Although that punch of hers' is getting stronger. Ah it looks like she calmed down enough now." All three of the women in the room were glaring at him and Kent just gave him an overly critical look as usual. "Please, just let me explain what happened, then you can choose whether or not to beat me up," the cavalier said aloud with a pleading tone in his voice. As there was no reply he started to recount the events that led to his collapsing in the Grand Hall.

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Sain had spent all afternoon trying to find somewhere quiet to be alone with his thoughts. He had failed miserably, always running into some woman who he felt duty bound to flirt with. So after the evening meal he stayed in the Grand Hall after the servants had cleared away the remains of the meal, where he was left alone in the dark with his thoughts.

As he sat there pondering, he was interrupted by the main door opening. He kept his head down in the hope that whoever it was would think he was asleep and leave him alone. His plan failed as the figure silhouetted by the light streaming in through the door from the hallway approached him. "Yes? What is it!" he snapped irritably.

"Um Sain, I…I'm sorry but have you s…seen Lady Lyndis?" Florina asked in a petrified tone.

"Oh Florina! I'm so sorry," Sain quickly apologized. " I didn't see it was you and I've been trying to find somewhere quiet all afternoon." Inwardly he cursed himself for snapping at Florina. He knew she was timid around men and he wasn't helping matters much. "No I'm afraid I haven't seen the lovely Lady Lyndis." He replied to her question. "May I inquire why are you seeking her?"

"Well I er… I saw Lord Hector storming around and… I assumed they'd been arguing again. I thought she might want comforting," Florina answered in a worried tone.

"How considerate of you fair Florina," Sain said. "Such kind thoughts could only come from one with a heart as pure as yours." Florina blushed at his compliments. Sain cursed himself again for his behaviour, why couldn't he just be serious for once? "However Florina, if she has been arguing I think it would be best if she was just left to blow of some steam on her own. It was indeed a kind thought, but you forget just how strong our friend is. Lyn and Hector were always arguing while we were fighting Nergal and yet they still married one another." Sain said this last part with a bemused look on his face that made Florina giggle.

"Hmm maybe you're right, thank you Sain. I'll leave you to your quiet now." Florina got up to leave and stopped when Sain abruptly stood up. While she had surprisingly been at ease with Sain before, that hard earned reprieve was now over.

"Er… Florina can I ask you a question?" Sain asked hesitantly. His uncharacteristic behaviour made Florina tense.

"I…I suppose s…so," she muttered just audibly.

Sain paused for a second wondering whether he should ask the question in her current state. Unfortunately his usual behaviour took over and he just blurted it out. "Do you love anyone Florina?" Her face went deadly white as she panicked.

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"And that's what happened. I know it was a stupid thing to ask, but I was just curious." Sain finished his story. The others just looked at him with unreadable expressions on their faces. That is except for Kent who looked intrigued.

"That explains why Florina panicked," Fiora started, "but it still doesn't explain why Mathew found you on the floor unconscious."

"Well that's the really embarrassing bit." Sain started to turn red. "Well let's just say she's got one hell of a strong knee and I won't be in the saddle for quite a while. The pain was so great I must have passed out." His face was now as red as Kent's armour. That's strange he thought as mind went down another route, his friend never seems to take that armour off.

As one by one realization dawned on them they started to laugh, Kent being the only one to suppress his laughter out of loyalty to his old friend. "Alright, alright!" Sain protested, "I know it's funny, but…" He paused until they had calmed down. "I know this sounds really stupid but I didn't think a girl as innocent as Florina would know that such a vulnerable spot existed."

Farina and Kent just looked at him like he was an idiot. However his comment Lyn and Fiora looked embarrassed and confused. "I never told her about that. At the academy they already assumed we knew about it." Fiora looked guilty now. "I never explained it to Florina as she's always been afraid of men. I thought it would just make her worse if she knew about…" Fiora trailed off blushing. She then looked up at Florina's best friend accusingly.

"Hey don't look at me," Lyn sounded hurt by the accusing look. "I thought exactly the same as you."

Farina looked rather sheepish. "Er, I kind of explained it to her," she finished meekly as Lyn and Fiora turned on her. "Well she needed to know, anyway I didn't tell her anything she didn't know. Except the quickest way to stop a man in his tracks. Only if he was threatening her though," she added quickly.

"How stupid could you be!" Fiora shouted at her sister. "You know Florina considers all men threatening! Now because of you, poor Sain got hurt." At this remark Sain, who had been watching the whole conversation up until this point bemused, smirked while Kent choked back a laugh.

"I know," her sister wailed in defence, "but I thought she understood that I meant if they were attacking her." She deflated. "Look Sain I'm really sorry." She turned to him with look pleading for forgiveness.

Even if it was just to get Fiora off Farina's back, Sain decide to forgive Farina. "It's not me you should be apologizing to, but all the lovely ladies who will be so disappointed because of my injury," he said in a joking manner. At his remark everyone decided that no lasting harm had been done to Sain. The women trooped out arguing among themselves, while Kent helped his friend out of bed.

"One thing puzzles me about your story," Kent started. Sain looked up intrigued. Kent continued, "Since when have you ever wanted to be on your own with your thoughts, when instead…" His voice took on a teasing tone, "you could have spent time flirting with women." Sain just shot him disapproving look. "I see you're not going to tell me what's wrong." Another pause. "Oh well, whether it's flirting or thinking you still get the same result."

Sain just laughed at this. "Since when, my friend have you been the one to tease me?" he guffawed.

"Since I decided it was time to avenge myself, for all the times you teased me," Kent laughed with his friend for as while. Then he turned serious again. "I hope you realise that you can tell me whatever it is that's bothering you." Silence. "No? Well I'll just have to let your other visitor in then. I'll see you later (if you're lucky)." With that he walked out of the room into corridor nodding at the pink haired figure waiting there impatiently. As he walked down the corridor he smirked at the cry of "Aww poor Sainy!" and the bellow of "KENT! I'll get you for this!"

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I know this isn't getting anywhere fast but please bare with me. I'm working on the next chapter as fast as I can. Anyway can anyone tell me which rating heavy drinking falls under as I'm not that confident with the rating system and I need to know before I can upload the next chapter. Bye.


	3. Charlie's

Yay. The third chapter is up. I'm sorry for taking so long to post it. I had a problem as I got carried away when I was writing it and it became totally random and pointless. So I've spent a long time rewriting it. Please R&R so I can improve it. Hope you like it.

Review Responses  
Koriku 

Thank you for your review. I've actually used your advice to re-edit the first two chapters. Plus another of your points also shows up in this chap. Hope you don't mind. With regards to Florina drinking, I'm just going to take the easy way out and blame it on Farina. "The Taming of the Shrew" by Shakespeare has nothing to do with this story. Despite the fact I ripped off and mutilated the title. Really it describes the effect Florina has on Sain. I'm useless when it comes to titles so any help will be appreciated. Anyway thanks again for your support.

zed21

Glad you like the story so far. Thanks for the encouragement.

Disclaimer: I don't own Fire Emblem or any of it's characters.

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Florina stood in the door and looked around her. It was a large, well lit, airy room. She saw that most of the men were huddled around the pool tables in the far corner, with the remaining few dotted around the bar or at tables with groups of women chatting amiably.

Seeing that there was a spot at the bar that was a comfortable distance from anyone else, the pegasus knight headed over to it. She was greeted by a small rather unobtrusive looking man behind the bar.

"Hello missy, what can I get for you?" he asked in a cheerful voice.

"Umm, I d…don't suppose you have I…Ilian rum?" Florina stuttered. Since she'd become a proper mercenary after returning to Ilia she'd been introduced to the drink by Farina. She didn't really like it that much but she'd found it useful in drowning out her thoughts. Hopefully it would stop Farina's voice from screaming at her about her irrational fear of men.

"Of course we have, we get quite a few pegasus knights in here when they pass through Ostia," the barman replied.

As he trotted of to get her drink Florina thought that it must be quite a nice place if other Ilians frequented it. While she waited she looked around with more interest than before, trying to spot any other Ilians in the place.

"Here you are ma'am. That'll be 25 gold pieces please." The barman had appeared again holding a large tankard of a thick brown liquid. "Personally I'd have gone for something a bit weaker myself, but it's your choice." He started a monologue on the qualities of the different drinks he had in stock.

Florina just sat there sipping her drink, while nodding and smiling at appropriate moments in the mans speech. She found Charlie, well she guessed he was Charlie, quite amusing in a way. He had an infectious kind of cheerfulness, and she soon found herself cheering up. Of course on the other hand it could have been the rum taking affect.

"Charlie, you're not trying to bore the poor girl to death with your history of alcohol are you?" a voice said from along the bar.

Florina sighed with relief as a woman about Fiora's age stepped up to her and Charlie. "No, of course not Rita," Charlie replied. " The lass seemed quite interested." Rita gave him a sceptical look. "Well she smiled and nodded in the right places anyway," he finished defeated. The woman nodded smiling.

"What? Oh no, I was interested." Florina quickly put in trying to defend Charlie. It was strange, she didn't find him threatening at all. In fact he was just like Merlinus in most respects. She smiled as she remembered the bumbling merchant.

"Really?" Rita didn't sound that convinced. She winked at Charlie and slid some gold pieces onto the bar "I'll have another two rums and a cider please Charlie." He nodded and headed of to pour the drinks.

Florina looked at her, noticing the woman's long blue boots and short dress. "Are… are you from Ilia?" she ventured.

"How could you tell?" she asked. She looked surprised she sat down next to Florina, while she waited for the drinks.

Florina giggled. "Well helps that you're wearing standard uniform for a member of the Wings of Ilia." She smiled at the woman who was blushing. "And finally, barely anybody who's not from Ilia ever tries the rum a second time."

At this Rita started laughing. "Well there's no fooling you is there." Seeing that Florina had finished her drink Rita leaned over the bar and called to Charlie. "Hey Charlie! Get my friend another of what ever she had before." She stopped Florina's protesting with a smile. "Why don't you join me and two friends. You look lonely sitting here on your own."

"Umm, are there any men with you?" Seeing that Rita was shaking her head Florina continued, "Um, I don't see why not." She stood up as Charlie arrived with the drinks. "Where are your friends sitting?" She picked up two of the drinks and watched Rita for an answer.

"Over there in the corner," Rita replied pointing to the far corner. "You go introduce yourself and I'll settle up here." With that she turned back to Charlie.

Florina headed over to the table in the corner nervously. "Err… hello, I'm Florina," she started. "Here are your drinks." She set the drinks down on the table. One of the women must have been a pegasus knight as well judging by her garb. She had a slender face with pale blue eyes and long pink hair. Florina couldn't figure out where the other came from. Her face was hidden in the shadows and her clothes were obscured by a large green cloak that wrapped around them.

"I don't remember this place having such a cute waitress," the pegasus knight commented, grinning at Florina. She just blushed heavily.

The tables other occupant just laughed. "Stop teasing the poor girl, Shara!" she barked in laughter. "Come Florina sit with us. I'm guessing that Rita invited you to join us."

"That I did," Rita said from behind Florina making her jump. "She looked bored and in need of rescuing from Charlie." She ushered Florina into a seat and placed the two drinks she was carrying on the table.

"Oh, three rums!" Shara exclaimed. "I see we have another Ilian among us."

"Not just an Ilian, but a famous pegasus knight who helped in the fight against Nergal," the mystery woman corrected her companion.

Florina was shocked. "How did you know that!" she demanded. The voice was familiar, but not that reassuring. Florina started to tense up.

The mystery woman just chuckled. " Has my voice really changed that much in two years?" she asked. She leaned forward so her face was no longer hidden in the shadows. Despite her best efforts the tactician burst out laughing

Florina just stared at the delicate face with it's large emerald eyes. The long auburn hair was just how she remembered. "Lief, when…how…" Florina shook her head removing her shock. "That wasn't fair!" she protested. She then started to smile as the other two knights started to laugh.

"I'm sorry Florina, I couldn't resist it." Lief took a mouthful of her cider. "Anyway let me explain my present company," looking disdainfully at Rita and Shara, before continuing. "She gestured towards the two laughing Ilians. "I hired them to escort me here and to keep me company. We served together duringthatincident with the bandits trying to invade Ilia."

"I didn't know you were the tactician there!" Florina started. "Why didn't you contact me," she added crestfallen.

Lief looked at Florina's sad face. "Oh, Florina don't look so sad. It wasn't like that. I only helped out with clearing up the few bandits that survived the battle. I didn't even know you were there." The tactician sighed in disappointment.

Shara had finally gotten her mirth under control and looked at the two solemn faces. "The important thing," she started jovially, "is that we're all here now. Drink and be happy!" With that she raised her tankard and took a swig, to signify the end of that conversation. The others raised their drinks to that and they started talking again.

0-0

Sain had finally escaped from Serra, and was walking stiffly down the corridors of Castle Ostia towards the exit. He needed some fresh air he decided, after being cooped up in that room for so long. He nodded to the guard as he passed through the gate. "Now where to sit," he thought to himself. "I definitely don't want to meet any women tonight. Not like this."

He settled for a spot under a tree halfway down the road running from castle to town. From there he could see anyone coming along the road, whereas he was obscured by the shadows. Smiling smugly to himself, he settled down with his thoughts.

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Florina was decidedly tipsy. She was laughing and joking with her friends. The tactician was just sober enough to wonder, whether it was a good idea for Florina to get drunk. However that state of mind lasted until the next round arrived.

She was startled out off chatting to Florina ,when she saw Rita and Shara kissing. She was aware that Florina had asked her a question. "Umm, sorry Florina what was that?"

"I asked you if you were alright." Before Lief could answer, Florina saw something in the corner of her eye. She turned to see her fellow Ilians locked in their passionate embrace and smiled. Turning back to Lief she started giggling. "Are they what shocked you?"

The tactician nodded her eyes locked on the pair. "I…I had no idea they…they were…" she trailed off embarrassed. Her face had turned bright red and she looked down at the floor.

Florina saw this and just burst out laughing. She was laughing so much she didn't notice that she was slipping off her chair. –THUMP- She hit the floor and just started to laugh again.

Rita and Shara untwined themselves, and helped the giggling Florina back into her chair. "What's so funny? Rita asked, puzzled.

Before Lief could answer, Florina just blurted out, "She's shocked you're gay!" She started to giggle to herself and rested her head on the table. And all that could be heard was giggling

Rita looked at the heavily blushing tactician. "You really didn't know?" She sounded surprised. "I thought you'd have known that quite a few pegasus knights were gay."

The tactician had a mouthful of her cider. A little while later the meaning of Rita's words, penetrated her alcohol clouded mind. She choked on her drink. "What!" Lief looked thoroughly surprised.

"It's not that surprising if you think about it." Shara put in. An academy comprising of only girls." She smiled lovingly at Rita. "Something's bound to happen sooner or later."

"Oh! I suppose, if you put it like that." She looked around the room and saw another couple kissing. "Am I seeing that right?" she asked, gesturing towards the people kissing.

"If you mean by right, the two men kissing over by the pool tables. Then yes, you are seeing it correctly." Shara replied.

"What men!" Lief nearly fell off her chair. "I was pointing to the girls over there." Then realization dawned on her. "You brought me to a gay bar!" she hissed at her friends.

They both started laughing. Eventually Rita calmed down enough to reply to the accusation. "Yes we did. I thought you'd like somewhere, without drunken men trying to chat you up." She grinned. "I know I'd try if Shara wasn't here."

Lief could find no reply to this and just blushed an even deeper shade of red than she already was. "Umm, thank you…I think," she eventually managed.

Rita and Shara just started laughing. Florina had stopped giggling. From where her head was rested on the table, the faint sound of snoring could be heard.

"I think you should get Florina back to the castle," Shara told Lief. "She's gonna have one hell of a hangover in the morning."

Lief just nodded and finished her drink. She stood up wobbly and tried to lift Florina up. This resulted in both of them on the floor. The tactician just started to giggle. She smiled as the two conscious Ilians helped her too her feat. They then helped up Florina who had woken up.

Together the four of them headed out into the cold night air.

0-0

"Do I love her? Would I even know love if it slapped me in the face?" Sain mused. He was still sitting under a tree. "Okay if I love her, (although that hasn't been established yet), how do I woo her?" That was a hard one. Everyone thought of Sain as a skirt chaser. A man who would stay faithful, until he saw another pretty face.

"I'm going to need help!" he declared to himself. "But who would help me?" He smiled at his next thought. "Strange as it may seem, I need Kent's advice in matters of the heart. He felt like laughing. Yes, he would confide in his friend. Sain could just imagine the look on Kent's face.

Having realized that he couldn't fathom his own thoughts, he decided he'd make Kent do it instead. Now that was sorted, he could return to the castle. He was just about to make a start, when he heard voices heading his way from the town.

"I swear I had no idea they were, well… you know." An embarrassed voice said. "Mind you, they looked happy when they left together." It added wistfully.

"Is that jealousy I hear?" a sweeter voice tittered.

They were definitely feminine Sain decided, as he headed back to the road. He knew he shouldn't, but he couldn't resist listening in on the conversation.

"What!" the first voice cried. "No, I mean…" the voice was muffled by something. It resumed a few seconds later, this time it sounded more shocked than indignant. "Wha…why…why did you do that?" it was defiantly shocked.

"I thought you might want to see what it was like," the other voice giggled.

Sain recognized that voice as Florina's. This was interesting, he'd never heard her giggle. But who was her companion and what had Florina just done too her. Shaking his head, Sain decided he really shouldn't be listening.

"What! Are you?" the voice was really shocked now.

Sain turned around as he recognized the voice of Lief, the tactician. She had her customary green cloak wrapped around herself and a smaller figure. That must have been Florina.

Florina was shaking her head from side to side. "Oh no…no no no no no," she mumbled. "But you might be," she accused. She laughed at her friends hurried denial. "Well the only way you can prove it," she started as deviously as is possible for a drunk to be. "Is if you tell me who you like!" She looked triumphant.

"You're evil!" Lief retorted. "Oh well, if you must know it's Geitz." This time it was her turn to be devious. "Now you've got to tell me who you like."

"You know I'm scared of men!" Florina wailed trying to change the subject as her plan backfired.

"Doesn't mean you don't like them." Lief paused to belch, they started laughing. "If you don't tell me I'll think you're gay," she teased. "So who do you like?"

Sain watching this in bemusement, noticed that the moon had come out and he was visible on the road. He turned to hurry off before he was spotted.

"Well…I like…" Florina started. "SAIN!" she screamed in joy. She ran forwards and jumped on the cavalier, knocking him over.

Lief just looked on in amazement as Florina struggled with Sain on the ground and tried to kiss him.

"What the Hell is going on!" Sain shouted at Lief, while warding of the pegasus knight. "Why is she tr…" He was cut off as Florina got past his guard and kissed him passionately. Normally Sain would have replied in kind, to the affections of any woman, but he was to shocked to reply to the kiss. Instead he flailed his arms around trying to get the girl off him. It was no good she'd clamped her lips against his and was holding on with all her strength.

Lief managed to haul Florina off Sain with some effort. The young pegasus knight just smiled and fell asleep. "Sorry about that." She muttered to the cavalier.

Sain just stared at her. "What the hell was that!" was all he could say. He was gasping for air, if it hadn't been for Lief, he'd have passed out from lack of oxygen. He licked his lips and tasted rum on them. "She's completely pissed isn't she?" he asked the tactician.

Lief nodded and started to blush. "She kissed me before as well." She just blushed a bright crimson, as Sain stared at her in disbelief. "Come on, you can give me a hand here. She's heavy."

Sain complied and scooped up Florina into his arms. "If she wakes up and tries that again, I swear I'll drop her," he vowed to Lief.

She just laughed at this. "I thought that you'd have enjoyed that!" She laughed even more at the outraged look Sain shot her. She was laughing so hard that she wasn't watching where she was going and tripped over. She started to giggle.

"Elimine give me strength," Sain muttered as he hauled the tactician to her feat. "You're drunk as well." He exclaimed.

"Just a little," Lief admitted sheepishly.

"Just a little my…You can barely walk in a straight line. Here, lean on me."

So Sain continued back towards the castle carrying a sleeping Florina, with the tactician leaning heavily against him. "I thought I was supposed to the irresponsible one," he thought to himself.

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I know the majority of this chapter isn't that relevant but I still like it. Chapter 4 should be up pretty soon as I wrote half of it while I lacked inspiration to finish this one. Until then, goodbye,

Spingleburt.


	4. Counting pegasi

After many a month of doing nothing I have finally updated this story. Hope you like it. Please read and review or it will never improve or progress.

Disclaimer: I don't own Fire Emblem or any of it's characters.

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"Hey she's awake" Sain commented as Florina stirred in his arms. Along with Lief he was walking through Ostia castle, trying to find out where Florina's room was. "Oh no! Not again," he groaned as she strained her neck trying to kiss him. He made up his mind up and let go of her.

She hit the floor with a thud. Finding she couldn't stand up properly, she compromised by hugging Sain's legs. The idiotic smile of pure happiness she was wearing showed that she was still drunk.

"Why'd you drop her?" Lief asked. The tactician had started to sober up now and no longer needed to lean against Sain for support. "You make such a cute couple."

"Yeah, but she also looks pretty cute with you." Sain added with chagrin. "Anyway isn't ityour turn to get kissed by our friend here."

With that Lief shut up andblushed heavily. She looked about her, wondering where Florina's room was. As she watched Sain managed to lever Florina's arms away from his legs. As he helped her to her feet, she clamped her arms around his chest.

"Great looks I'm carrying after all," Sain grumbled. He scooped up Florina and warned her, "No kissing or I'll drop you again." He sighed with relief as his burden nodded. He chose to ignore the puppy dog eyes aimed his way. "Lief, go and get Kent. He'll know where her room is."

Lief just looked at him coldly. "How do I know where he is?" she replied critically. "I just got here. Anyway wouldn't it make more sense to ask her sisters for help?"

"Florina, would you like your sisters to know about this?" Sain asked softly. Florina shook her head violently. "Well that answers that question." He started to walk again. He remembered that all the guest rooms were on the same corridor. "Kent's in the room next to mine. We'll head there, but you have to ask about Florina's room" He saw the look on Lief's face. "Before you say anything I can't do it. Due to the fact that she," he nodded down at Florina, "won't let go and Kent will jump to the wrong conclusion." Sain sighed. "He always does. Okay here we are, it's that room there," he motioned towards a door with his head. "We'll be next door."

Lief watched as he carried Florina into his room. She laughed to herself. Any other time she would have considered it very dubious. Now it was just sweet that he was so concerned about the girls' well being. Turning to Kent's door she wondered what to say. Deciding to wing it, she stepped up to the door and knocked.

There was some scuffling and then the door opened a crack. A face topped by a mess of red hair poked through. "What is it?" Kent demanded in a grouchy tone. However his face brightened when he recognised Lief. "Uh, Lady Lief why are you here?"

A plan spawned itself in the tacticians head. "Oh Kent! I'm so, so sorry!" she grovelled. "I thought this was Florina's room. I met her in town and she said there was a spare bed in her room that I could use. But I um…got the directions wrong." She hung her head in shame.

"Oh, well Florina's room is the one across the hall from here. Good night ma'am." With that the bleary eyed knight returned to bed.

Lief heard Fiora's voice from behind the door. "Whoops, that's why he was so mad when he opened the door," she thought to herself. "Well, now we know where Florina's room is." She walked the few meters to the adjacent room and knocked.

"Lief is that you?" she heard from the other side, along with something else. Having confirmed it was Sain's room she opened the room. The sight that met her was so strange that it would be permanently etched into her memory.

Sain was sitting in the corner of his room, with a look of utter desperation on his face. Florina on the other hand was cross legged on the bed wearing a lopsided grin and singing. The worst of it was Florina's choice of song.

"…and then there were three pegasi!" Florina was belting out.

Lief just looked on in disbelief. "Oh Elimine!" She thought to herself, "not the Pegasus Counting Song."

Sain looked up at Lief. "She just won't shut up, she won't budge. What the hell are we going to do?" He sounded at his wits end.

Lief walked over to the bed and clamped her hand over Florina's mouth. "Obviously you didn't think very hard," she snorted in derision. She looked triumphant in the way only Lief could.

"Tried that," Sain replied. "Just wait a few seconds." He grinned maliciously as Lief squealed and withdrew her hand from Florina's mouth. It quickly left his face as Florina started up her song again.

"Okay, that didn't work." Lief muttered while absentmindedly drying her palm on her cloak. "how about if we push her of the bed?"

"She's got a grip like iron. She won't let go of the mattress."

"…along flew another little pegasus…"

Two thoughts occurred to Lief at that moment. One was that if Florina didn't shut up soon, she would throttle her. The tactician's head was really aching. The second was that she had no idea what to do.

"…then there were seven pegasi!"

Lief looked over at Sain for help. He had his hands clamped over his ears. It was bad enough that Florina was singing the Pegasus Counting Song. She could have at least had the decency to sing it in key. Then out of no where the idea hit her.

Sain watched as Lief whispered something in Florina's ear. Much to his relief the drunken knight stopped her singing. "This can't be good," he thought to himself, as Florina turned to him with a look of pure glee on her face.

0-0

It was the next day and Sain sat in the castles mess hall eating his breakfast. In front of him there was a large plate covered in bacon, eggs, sausages, black pudding and the works. He reasoned that after the trials of last night, he deserved it.

Just as he was about to start on his mountainous breakfast, Kent sat down opposite him. "Morning Kent," He muttered before he commenced to shovel the food into his mouth.

"Sain, next time you pick up some drunk girl in town," Kent started. "Please make sure she can at least sing in key first."

Sain's eyes widened. He choked on a piece of bacon. After a few seconds of spluttering he managed to take breath of air. "What?"

Kent sighed before continuing. "And could you be a little quieter as well? It sounded like a riot was going on."

Sain was scandalized. Since when had Kent ever commented on anything of that nature before. Anyway that last remark wasn't fair. All the noise had come from him staggering around his room with arms flailing, while Florina was clamped to his face.

Lief didn't save him that time and he passed out from a lack of breath. Luckily so did Florina, allowing Lief to move the comatose pegasus knight into her own room. Sain needed to have a strong word with Lief later on. Her master plan had been to tell Florina, that Sain had wanted to kiss her again.

"Er, sorry…" was all he managed.

Kent shook his head in disgust and left the Green Lance on his own.

With a curse Sain realised that he could no longer ask Kent for help with wooing that certain somebody. Last night had made it even more difficult in more than one way. Contemplating his problem he continued to eat his grease laden meal.

0-0

Lief was strolling down to the town when she heard Sain call after her. Turning she saw him pelting down the track towards her.

Sain came to a halt in front of her panting. "You…" he raised an accusing finger at the tactician, "owe… me for…last night!"

Lief cringed. True her plan worked, but it was unfair on Sain. "Look I'm sorry, but it was the only thing I could come up with."

"Well you're going to help me with something to make up for it alright?" his tone left no room for argument. He led her off the path, towards the tree he sat under the night before. "How's Florina by the way?" His tone softened slightly at the mention of the girl.

Lief noticed this with interest. "She's nursing the mother of all hangovers. It's not surprising really, she had three bottles of Ilian rum."

Sain's jaw dropped. "What the hell is her stomach made of!" he was absolutely astounded. "That much would have killed Dart stone cold!"

Lief couldn't help but tease him even further. "Florina's considered a light weight with her drink by most Ilians"

"What!"

"According to Farina, Fiora's record is seven bottles."

Sain's head hurt. He couldn't imagine Mrs. Prim even drinking a small shandy, let alone enough rum to get half of Fargus' crew drunk. "You're serious aren't you?"

Lief just laughed at him. "Not about Fiora drinking that much rum! However even pirates won't take part in Ilian drinking games."

"Sheesh! Well down to business," Sain took a serious tone. "How do feel about being a love councillor?"

Lief just stared at him in astonishment.

0-0

Adeus,  
Spingleburt.


	5. Swansong

Heh, it's been almost a year since I last updated this fic. I suppose I should make it's death official. If anyone still cares about this story (which I seriously doubt), I'm sorry. I just don't have the motivation, inspiration or naivety to continue with it anymore. I'd just like to thank the following people for their encouragement: Zed21, Jackswitch, SKSuncloud, Link015, renzokuken-sama, Stilldarkshadow, FIREEMBLEMFREAK252, little-chibi-girl, Jordan/Dracknal and two anonymous reviewers. Finally a big thanks to Koriku who really helped me improve my writing and gave me a cookie . Sorry to let you guys down, and I'm sorry to have taken this long to announceThe Taming Shrew'sdeath. Well see ya,

Spingleburt.


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